McFarland, USA
Grade: B
Director: Niki Caro (North Country, Whale Rider)
Screenplay: Christopher Cleveland (Glory Road) et al.
Cast: Kevin Costner (White or Black), Maria Bello (Prisoners)
Rating: PG
Runtime: 128 min.
by John DeSando
McFarland, USA, is Disney, USA, with a PG rating, nary a bad word, and very happy people, especially the Mexican families. Also, everyone is good looking and caring. But, you know, I like a true, uncomplicated, old- fashioned, small town story about a little team that can.
In this case McFarland, CA, a densely- Mexican populated southern Cal town, gets a new coach, Jim White (Kevin Costner), who has lost his job for losing his temper (the locker room scene makes it clear he was not totally wrong in his anger). Moving his family to this poor town is not the least of his challenges: His family dislikes the move, and he needs to learn about a culture different from his white-bread background.
As the newbies assimilate into this unusually happy and ultra-clean town (it is Disney after all), Jim White (now called “Blanco”) discovers their hidden athletic talent while he learns more about their open culture. They march to the State Cross-Country finals through old-fashioned hard work and an encouraging speech now and then from the coach.
Along the way, director Niki Caro and Christopher Cleveland and his writing crew show the hard work Mexican kids do by getting up to work the fields, go to school, and end the day with more work in the fields. To Disney’s credit, this challenge seems real, a sign of families working together for a better life. Still clean and happy.
John DeSando, a Los Angeles Press Club first-place winner for National Entertainment Journalism, hosts WCBE’s It’s Movie Time and co-hosts Cinema Classics. Contact him at JDeSando@Columbus.rr.com
